Another FW 78/79 dana 44 swap

[97TrailRigDD]

Ahh, prefab brackets. Too easy. haha

The brackets come with the dom and ends. I guess I have to use them.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Springs are 175/225. Way too soft ordered some 300# springs and will put the 225s on top.

 

[AZFX4]

Looking good. Kinda wishing I would have just used coilovers.

 

[Bray D]

If I could've used prefab brackets, I would've. Much easier.

Crunching the numbers, it appears they are going to be way too soft. What did they come off of?

I just did a calc for the effective spring rate of springs in series. So if the coilover was mounted perpendicular to the RA in the vertical plane, under full axle compresison, it would have a PPI of less than 100. That's soft.

Ahem.

225 over 300 will still be soft, but may work. My springs are 204 over 375, but they don't have a stopper (and the coils never bind) so they act like a linear spring with a rate of 132ppi.

225 over 300 gives you a 128.6ppi until you hit the stopper, then it'll jump up to 300.

With your 20* angle, take those figures times cos(20*) and that'll be your effective rate at ride height (the angle will change throughout the suspension travel, obviously). So you'll be sitting at 120.8ppi until you hit the stopper, then you'll be at 281.9ppi.

Depending how you want the suspension to act, and the style of bumpstops you have, you may be better off with the 225 lower spring. That'd have a 211.4ppi after you hit the stopper.

With a stiffer bumpstop, you may be better with the stiffer lower to take some of the hit before you crash into your bumpstops. Just set the stopper like 1" before you hit the bumpstops.

 

[Josh40601]

^Tooold you.....

Just kiddin. I have a set of 12" 3" 300 springs. They're yours if you want them

 

[97TrailRigDD]

If I could've used prefab brackets, I would've. Much easier.





Ahem.

225 over 300 will still be soft, but may work. My springs are 375 over 204, but they don't have a stopper (and the coils never bind) so they act like a linear spring with a rate of 132ppi.

225 over 300 gives you a 128.6ppi until you hit the stopper, then it'll jump up to 300.

With your 20* angle, take those figures times cos(20*) and that'll be your effective rate at ride height (the angle will change throughout the suspension travel, obviously). So you'll be sitting at 120.8ppi until you hit the stopper, then you'll be at 281.9ppi.

Depending how you want the suspension to act, and the style of bumpstops you have, you may be better off with the 225 lower spring. That'd have a 211.4ppi after you hit the stopper.

With a stiffer bumpstop, you may be better with the stiffer lower to take some of the hit before you crash into your bumpstops. Just set the stopper like 1" before you hit the bumpstops.

Setting that stopper is kind of tricky. Probably take several tries to get it right.

^Tooold you.....

Just kiddin. I have a set of 12" 3" 300 springs. They're yours if you want them

I need 12" 2.5" but thanks. Plus I ordered them already.
And I know I don't listen. I

 

[Bray D]

Setting that stopper is kind of tricky. Probably take several tries to get it right.

I can imagine. I hope the new springs work out for ya.

 

[Josh40601]

alright buddy.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Cranked the adjusters down so I could get the tires on and figure out the ride height.

That was still about 2" too low and I can pull down on the front and bottom out the coilovers no problem.

This is more where ride height will be. Front of frame 25" high.

Now I can go ahead and work on the track bar and drag link.

 

[wahlstrom1]

You sure your not still runnin TTB? Lmao.... that first pic looks like alot of pos. camber?

 

[Josh40601]

its in all the pics

 

[Bray D]

Very nice. Looks like the FW axle pushes the diff over juuust enough to get some decent compression numbers with a low ride height.

 

[Bray D]

You sure your not still runnin TTB? Lmao.... that first pic looks like alot of pos. camber?

My 44 has some camber as well. Yours didn't? I read up on it, and you can get eccentric upper ball joint sleeves, or spindle shims to correct it if you really want to. I don't like the upper bj sleeve idea since you have to torque it (that kinda determines the orientation of the offset, don't see how it'd be adjustable), and I just never messed with the shims.

 

[Josh40601]

i have very very very little.

 

[railman]

I believe you are seeing some of the Ackerman effect....since the alignment hasn't been done....

lookin' good Greg

l8r, John